Y^ - 



Kansas 












Glass TAjL-^ 



I 



K^NS^S Iisr 1856 



llf^^^^^ f ''''''' f '^'' ^'i^'^Ses m Kansas ^ since the appoint- 
ment oj the Kansas hivesttgatimr Committee, and not embraced in 
their Report to the House of Representatives^ 



FROI ACTUAL OBSERVATIOx\, AND THE TESTIMONY OF EYE-WITNESSES. 



BY AN OFFICER OF THE COMMISSION. 



In April, 185C, immediately preceding the 
arrival of the Committee of Investigation, sent 
out by the House of Representatives, the news- 
papers published in^ind neai-the Territory were 
failed with articles calculated to excite the feel- 
ings of a portion of the population of the Terri- 
tory, and or Missouri, against the Committee. 
Although recommending that no violence h<- 
used, but that they be tolerated, and treated 
with silent contempt, these papers at the same 
time declared the appointment of that Committee 
to be an insult to the people of the Territory 
and styled a majoriiy of its membei-s fanatical' 
abohtionists, who were coming there to establish I 
a worse than Roman Inquisition among them ! 
^oth^ng occurred, however, to produce excite- 1 
ment until the day after thf Committee had pro- ' 
Ceeded to Lecompton, to copy the election record, i 
there _0n that day, Saturday, April I9th, Sam- | 
uel J. Jones, then acting as sheriff of Douo-!,,. | 
^ounty, proceeded to Lawrence, to arrest Saraue! \ 
iN. Wood, for aiding in the rescue of Jacob Bran- 
son last November, some five months previous 
it was this rescue of Branson which had been 
made the pretext, by Jones, for the invasion last 
fall. At that time, Mr. ^food had several times 
placed himself so that Jones could have arrested 
mm, Wood being desirous to test ia his Own 
person the validity of the laws of the Territory 
_=-<or some reason, Jones had never made anr at- 
tempt to arrest him, until the Committee of In- 
vestigation had reached the Territory. He then 
went info Lawrence, and, finding #ood in the 
street, went up to him, and, catching him by the 
<;ollar, told him that he must go with him. Wood 
^^siced permission to see his wife, which Jones re- 
lused,^ Wood said, if he could see his wife for a 
few minutes, he would then go with the sheriff 
without any resistance. Upon Joneses refusal,' 
VVood pulled himself away from him, and marie 
nis escape. No violence was offered to the 
sneritt by any one, and no assistance rendered 
VVood, except by some few persons passing be- 
tween the sheriff and Wood, giving the latter an 
opportunity to get away. 
Sheriff Jones then returned to Lecompton, and, | 



by falsely representing to the Governor that he 
I had been forcibly resisted, by a large body of 
Mrmed men, in the execution of a civil process in 
the city of Lawrence, endeavored to excite him 
to take such steps as would facilitate the accom- 
plishing of certain purposes, which appeared to 
lie cherished by the Pro-Slavery party in the 
erritory. In this he succeeded, and the Governor 
declared. With an oath, that the people of Law- 
rence wanted war, and they sliould have it, and 
he would not leave one to tell the tale. 

The next day, Sunday, Jones proceeded again 
to Lawrence, accompanied by three mounted 
men, all armed, and rode into town just before 
I iionn, while most of the citizens were attending 
I church. In a short time, many of them gathered 
, around Jones and his posse, and seemed inclined 
! to laugh at and make sport of them. Jones 
j failed upon them to assist him in making some 
j arrests of persons whom he charged with'rescu- 
j ing Wood the day before. He showed no war- 
I rant against any one, and the people made no 
) move to asssist him, but apparently considered 
I u a subject of much mirth. After remaining in 
i the town a short time, without makino- any ar- 
I rests, he and his posse started off, whenlhey were 
I greeted with groans from the crowd, then araount- 
I ing to fifty or sixty persons. He rode back to- 
wards them, and addressed some words to them 
He started off the second time, and was groaned 
iit as before. 

He^ returned to Lecompton, and represented to 
tlie Governor that he had been again resisted in 
Lawrence by an armed mob. This was false as 
no arms could be seen, except those worn by him 
and his posse. The statement, however had its 
effect upon the Governor, who, it was currently 
rumored, first sent to Missouri for assistance, but 
afterwards countermanded that order, and then 

sent to Colonel Smnner, at Fort Leaven worth, for a 
company of dragoons, to assist the sheriff in 
making arrests. 

0:i Wednesday, April 23d, Jones again marched 
into Lawrence, with a company of twelve drai:oons 
trom Fost Leavenworth, under the command of 
Lieutenant .Mcintosh, The Committee of Investi- 



gation had come to Lawrence, having completed 
their labors of copying the records at Lecompton, 
and had commenced their first session, for the 
purpose of taking testimony. While Sheriff Jones 
was making his arrests, which were made with- 
out any difficulty or resistance, the time of the 
Commiitee wns taken up by arguments, speeches, 
&c., during all of the day, so that, when the time 
for closing the day's session had arrived, no op- 
portunity liad bee'n given for the examination of 
a single witness. Much occurred during the day, 
calculated to e.xcite the people of Lawrence.^ The 
manner in wliich Jones made his arrests, in one 
instance walking down the street before the room 
in which the Investigating Committee was hold- 
ing its session, holding his prisoner by the collar 
with one hand, while in the other he held a cocked 
revolver — his threats, his blustering manner, his 
treatment of his prisoners while conducting them 
to their place of confinement — his declaration 
that, if he had the power, he would make every 
citizen of Lawrence get down on his knees, and 
kiss the Territorial laws every night before he 
went to bed— all this, and much more of the 
same character, was but too well calculated to 
inflame the passions of a people who felt con- 
vinced that an opportunity only was wanting, to 
bring upon their'devoted heads the whole power 
of the Territorial Government, for their injury 
and destruction. Still, no resistance was offered 
to Jones and his posse of United States troops ; no 
interference of any kind was attempted by the 
citizens of Lawrence. He proceeded with his 
arrests, and, after completing them, instead of 
removing his prisoners, with his posse, out of 
the town, to the prairie, where there was a much 
better place for pitching the tents of the sol- 
diers than within the city limits, he placed his 
prisoners in a house in the very centre of the 
town, and his posse camped just behind. The 
most of those he arrested, were arrested be- 
cause they had not aided him, the Sunday previ- 
ous, in making arrests. 

In the evening, as Jones was walking about, 
near the tents, some one fired a pistol at him, the 
ball passing though the leg of his pants. Not- 
withstanding this, and notwithstanding he had 
done all he could, to all appearance, for no other 
ourpose than to provoke some outbreak on the 
part of the citizens of Lawrence, he still took no 
steps to find out who had fired at him, or even 
to guard against a second attempt. But he went 
into one of the tents around which there was no 
guard, and while in there, was shot by some one 
from the outside ; and even then no effort was made 
to discover and secure the assassin. The wound- 
ed man was taken at once to tlie Eldridge House, 
and every attention was shown him, not only by 
those of his party, but by the citizens of the town. 
One of them, a young man of the name of Stew- 
art, who was afterwards murdered, volunteered 
to go to Westport, a distance of forty miles, to 
carry a dispatch to Mrs. Jones, informing her of 
her husband's condition, and rode all night on 
that errand. 

General Whitfield at once declared that the 
Committee must leave Lawrence, and hold their 
sessions in some other place ; that the Pro-Slavery 



party could not' appear before the Committee 
there, as their lives would be in danger, were they 
to do so. Major Oliver, one of the Committee, 
declared that the Committee must remove to 
some other place, or else break up altogether, for 
he would not remain in Lawrence three days 
longer for all the Territory. It is but just to 
Maj'or Oliver, to say that subsequent events led 
him to entertain a different opinion, and he man- 
fully avowed his mistake. The Commission did 
not" leave, and in a few days General Whitfield 
returned. 

From the course that Jones and others pursued, 
many were led to believe that the whole proceed- 
ing was intended solely for the purpose of break- 
ing up the Commission. Jones, with his posse of 
United States dragoons, came into Lawrence just 
when the Committee was holding its first session 
for the purpose of taking testimony ; while Jones 
was making arrests, and that, too, in such a man- 
ner as would most likely provoke the people of 
Lawrence to resistance, the time of the Commit- 
tee was frittered away with debates and quib- 
bling concerning the manner of conducting the 
inve'stigation, without examining a single witness- 
As soon as Jones was shot; the cry was raised 
that the Committee must leave Lawrence for some 
other place, as it was dangerous to remain in 
Lawrence, after, as was alleged, one of its citi- 
zens had attempted to assasinate one of the offi- 
cers of the Territory, though no step was taken 
to secure the assassin at the time of the firing, 
when, by doing so, it might have been found that 
the shooting had been done by some one other 
than a citizen of Lawreuce. There certainly was 
much ground for the belief, entertained by many, 
that the whole was a preconcerted plan, for the 
purpose of preventing the investigation of the 
Commission, or, failing in that, to provoke the 
citizens of Lawrence to some outbreak, likely to 
prejudice them in the opinion of the Committee 
and of the country; that Jones and his party did 
not desire to find out the assassin, but preferred 
to charge the assassination upon the citizens of 
Lawrence, rather than take any steps likely to 
discover by whom it was done, for fear that by 
so doing it would appear that the people of Law 



rence were guiltless. And had the Committee, by 
leaving Lawrence at that time, given evidence 
that a resiard for their own personal safety was 
of higher^ importance to them than the labor they 
were sent to perform, is it unreasonable to be- 
lieve that similar steps would have been taken 
to induce them to leave any other place in which 
they should be holding their sessions, whenever 
the "law and order" party, as they styled them- 
selves, should consider it for their interest to do 

so ? 

To show their disapprobation of the attempt 
upon the life of Jones, the citizens of Lawrence 
held a public meeting the next morning, and de- 
denounced the affair of the night previous as 
a cowardly assassination, and appointed a com- 
mittee of their leading citizens to discover the 
assassin, and have him brought to justice. 

The Committee continued its labors undis- 
turbed, until they had proceeded to the town of 
Tecumseh. At that place, some steps were taken 



by the Territorial authorities, which eventually 
Jed to scenes of brutality aud violence, lawless- 
ness and disorder, robbery and pillage, arson 
and cold-blooded murder, such as this country 
never before witnessed-and all done by the 
law and order" party, and under the plea of 
respect to the laws. 

The Committee had been taking testimony in 
regard to the elections for eight days. So far 
as testimony was taken, it went to show, most 
conclusively, that the Missourians had taken a 
most active part in the elections, and carried 
them by their votes. Governor Reeder had been 
m attendance upon the Committee durin-r all 
their sittings, and greatly aided them iu their 
myestigatiors, from his thorough knowledge of 
the_ facts connected with the transactions in 
various parts of the Territory, his knowledo-e of 
those who could best testify to the circumstances 
connected with these transactions, and his leoal 
skill aud ability in conducting the examinations 
He was present at the request of the Committee 
and his absence would greatly retard their invest- 
igations. 

When the Committee went to Tecumseh, on 
Monday, May 5th, Governor Reeder accompanied 
them and continued to assist them in their labors 
On the morning of Tuesday, the 6th, William 
i'ane lately from Georgia, then acting as deputy ' 
marshal, came to Tecumseh with a summons tor 
Governor Reeder to appear at Lecompton, for 
the purpose of giving testimony before the grand 
jury tor Douglas county, then in session at that 
place. Governor Reeder declined going, on the 
ground that he was then engaged before the Com- 
mittee ot the House of Representatives, in a mat- 
ter ot vastly more importance than any testimony 
lie could give at Lecompton. 

On Thursday, May 8th, the Committee returned 
to Lawrence, and resumed the taking of testi- 
mony there. The Committee was huldin.. their 
session in a room in the Eldridge House, o°r Free 
btate Hotel, as it was called by some. While 
Governor Reeder was engaged in examining a 
witness of the name of Joseph Stewart, Deputy 
Marshal Fane came into the room, with an at- 
tachment purporting to be issued by Jado-e Le- 
compte, against Governor R«eder, for contempt 
OJ court, lu refusing to obey the summons served 
upon lam the Tuesdayprevious. Governor Reeder 
appealed to the Committee for protection, refer- 
ring to his position as contesting Delegate ; to his 
being in attendance upon the Committee, at their 
request; and to sundry defects in the document 
purporting to be a writ of attachment. He asked 
Deputy Marshal Fane if he was to consider him- 
self as served with the writ. The deputy mar- 
shal said that he might so consider it if he 
pleased and advised him to attend him, sayin- 
If he did not do so, he should report the circum- 
stances and facts to the court at Lecompton 

liy this time, the room in which the Committee 
was holding Its session was nearly filled with 
persons, mainly citizens of Lawrence, who had 
seen the marshal come into town, and go into the 
room and were naturally desirous to see what 
was being done in there. They were unarmed, 
qniet, and peaceable, and though evidently auY- 



ious in regard to the result, yet made no demon- 
strations of hostility or interference towards the 
marshal. 

The members of the Committee consulted to- 
gether concerning the aj.plication of Governor 
l.eeeder for protection. Mr. Sherman said, that 
the Committee had been sent out to perform cer- 
tain important duties ; that the presence of Gov- 
^ ernor Reeder was very necessary to enable them 
o carry on their investigation. Mr. S. said, that 
he was individually of opinion that Governor 
Keederwas privileged from arrest under the Con- 
stitution of the United States, being a contesting 
Delegate, as much so as he himself was. Still 
If he himself was sun.raoned to appear before a 
justice of the peace even, he should obey the 
summons. He concluded by stating that the 
Committee had determined to make no decision 
whatever in the matter, but leave Governor 
Reeder to decide for himself what course he 
should pursue. Major Oliver followed in a few 
remarks, in which he said that he thought the 
Committee had no jurisdiction in the matter at 
all. Individually, he said, he was of opinion 
that Governor Reeder was not privileged from 
arrest any more than any private citizen. He 
said he was sorry Mr. Sherman had expressed 
I any opinion about the matter; but, havino- done 
so, he gave his individual opinion also. Mr 
Howard said, the Committee were sent out to 
take testimony, and not to make judicial deci- 
sions. Individually, he was of opinion that 
Governor Reeder was privileged from arrest, and 
lus presence was necessary to the proper con- 
ducting of the examinations before the Commit- 
tee. But there was nothing for the Committee 
act upon at that time, supposing that the ac- 
tion of the judge, in sending the marshal there 
with a wTit of attachment, was not intended to 
show any disrespect to the Committee, or for the 
purpose of embarrassing them in their investiga- 
tions, ho action by the Committee was neces- 
sary, though, under the resolutions appointing 
them, tuey had the right and authority to arrest 
any one obstructing their action, and send him 
t^o Washington, to be dealt with by the House of 
Representatives. The Committee would take no 
action whatever in the premises at that time, 
but leave Governor Reeder to decide upon his 
own course. Some demonstrations were made 
to applaud during Mr. Howard's remarks, but 
they were prompily checked by the chaiiman 
and ofhcers of the Committee. 

Governor Reeder said that, under ordinary 
circumstances, he would attend the marshal and 
plead his personal privilege before the court But 
under then existing circumstances, he beiieved ' 
I ills person would be endangered if he permitted 
nmself o be taken to Lecompton, and therefore ' 
he wotild then and there assert his privilege 
|;nd refuse to attend the marshal; and as he 
hrm ly believed he had the law on his side he 
would warn any man, that if he undertook to 
arrest him, it would be at his peril. 

At the close of Governor Reeder's remarks 
three cheers were proposed for him by some one 
m the crowd, but the chairman promptly pre- 
vented any demonstration of the kind The 



marshal then left the room, and proceeded to 
Lecompton. No demonstration of hostility or 
resistance was made to the marshal, or to any 
one, by any person in Lawrence. Goverror 
Reeder merely said, that if any one attempted to 
arrest him, it wonld he at his peril ; but, as there 
was no attempt, no resistance was offered. 

The Committee resumed their examination of 
witnesses, and continued it during the day, with- 
out farther interruption. 

The next dav, but two of the Committee were 
present, Jlajor Oliver having left town ; and 
neither General Whitfield nor Governor Reeder 
were present. The Committee, however, pro- 
ceeded with their investigation as usual. 

During that and the following days, ru- 
mors prevailed in town, that armed forces were 
gathering at Lecompton and about Lawrence, 
threatening an attack upon and the destruc- 
tion of the latter place. On Saturday, the 10th 
of Jlay, the Lecompton Unicn appeared, contain- 
ing a grossly-misrepresented account of what 
had transpired in the Committee room the 
Thursday previous, charging the majority of the 
Committee with openly counselling the excited 
and armed mob then present to resist the laws, 
with speaking in terms of disrespect of the judi- 
cial authorities of the Territory, and by their 
course endeavoring to excite the people of Law- 
rence to open rebellion. This totally false ac- 
count was copied far and wide in the Pro-Slavery 
papers of the Territory and the State of Mis- 
souri, and Avas held up as the true exposition of 
the views and course of the Committee — thus en- 
deavoring, as far as possible, to excite the Pro- 
Slavery party in the Territory against the Com- 
mittee. From that time, during the stay of the 
Committee in the Territory, the Pro-Slavery pa- 
pers there were filled with insulting and untrue 
declarations and statements concerning the 
course of the Committee, and many of the papers 
did not scruple to recommend personal violence, 
against the majority of the Committee. 

On Sunday, May 11th, the citizens of Lawrence 
held a public meeting. In view of the many ru- 
mors concerning the gathering of armed forces 
for an attack upon their town, and appointed a 
committee to address a communication to the 
Governor of the Territory, informing him that 
they were reliably informed that bands of armed 
men were gathering for the purpose of attacking 
their place, and calling upon him, in the name 
of the people of Lawrence, for protection against 
such bands by the United States troops at his 
disposal. 

This communication was drawn np by the 
committee, and taken to Lecompton by Captain 
Samuel Walker, on the morning of Monday, the 
r2th of May. On his way np, he fell in with 
some men, who represented that they were going 
to Lecompton, to get some commissions of Gov- 
ernor Shannon, for some men who were in a 
Captain Saunders's company of Georgians ; that 
the Governor had sent them some 150 United 
States muskets and rifles, which they would get 
that night at Franklin ; that they were deter- 
mined to destroy Lawrence, in spite of the Gov- 
ernor or Colonel Sumner ; that Shannon had 



given the matter up to them entirely, and they 
intended to make a Mormon affair of it, and not 
leave a Free State man in the Territory — and much 
more to the same effect. They then fell in with 
two men, one of whom was Mr. Whitlock, for- 
merly a member of the Territorial Legislature, 
who knew and recognised Walker as a Free State 
man ; and after some questioning of Walker, they 
all rode off rapidly towards Lecomjston. As 
Walker approached the town, he was informed, 
by one of his neighbors, that there was some 
commotion in town, in consequence of what had 
been told by some men who had just rode in, and 
it would be dangerous tor him to go in there ; 
and offered to take the letter to the Governor, 
and bring the answer to his house. To thi.-;, Walk- 
er consented; and while on his way to his neigh- 
bor's house, he was pursued and fired upon by 
the men who had been riding with him on his 
way to Lecompton. Some three hours after that, 
the reply of the Governor was handed to him, 
and he brought it to the citizens of Lawrence. 

In his reply, the Governor wrote that there 
were no forces gathering around or approaching 
Lawrence, except the legally-constituted forces 
of the United States marshal and the sheriff of 
Douglas county, and that he should not interr 
fere with either of those ofHcers, in the discharge 
of their official duties ; and that, so long as the 
citizens of Lawrence maintained a military or- 
ganization to resist the laws, he should not in- 
terfere to save them from the consequences. 

On Sunday, May 11th, the United States mar- 
shal issued the following proclamation: 

'■Proclamation to the People nf Kansas Territory. 

" Whereas certain judicial writs of arrest have been 
directed to m^ by the first district court of the U. S , &c., 
to heexecijleil wiihiii the cou"ty of Douglas; a'ui whereas 
an atteiiipi to execute them by the U. S. depuiy marshal 
was viiil' ntjy resisted by a large number of tlie citizens 
of Lawrence iind as there is every reason to bi'lieve 
that any attempt to execute these writs will be resisted 
by a large body of armed men : IVow, therefore, the law- 
alndiuK ciiizensof the Territor. are commanded to be 
and appear at Lecompton as soon as practicalilc. and in. 
numbers ^^uflicicnt for the proper execution of the biw. 

"Given under my hand, ihis llth day of M:iy, 1?56. 
-I. B. DONALDSOiN. 

U. S. Marshal of K. T. 

'■No liabilities for expenses will be incurred by the U. 
S until their consent is obtained.-' 

The latter sentence was omitted in the first 
copies of the proclamation that came to Law- 
rence. 

Previous to the issuing of this proclamation, 
and doubtless in anticipation, bodies of armed 
men began to collect at Lecompton, Franklin, 
and other places near Lawrence, and many 
threats were made, that they would destroy the 
town of Lawrence, and drive every Free State 
man from the Territory. 

The citizens of Lawrence, and the Free State 
party in the Territorj^, were without those leaders 
to whom they had been accustomed to look for 
advice and counsel. Dr. Robinson, while on his 
way down the Missouri river, had been lawlessly 
and violently taken from the boat Star of the 
West, on which lie was traveling, by an armed 
mob, and was at that time a prisoner among 
them. They failed, however, to obtain the test- 
imony that had been taken before the Committee, 



the threads thnt Ur,,i k.„„ L..,. ^".^^ I ^*^'"^^°'°St^eii' names, and told him that MilleW 

iid 



I,- i-£- ""'"-"''" '-""»i^4"^"^e 01 tnreats upon after Afilier tu ,t n 

^^':^^:LS::^;!e-ir^=i.rid£Br -- -- --so;;^: 

all these clemonstrations and tS eats semedn k. V^ '^'^ l^^"^' ^^'"^^'- '^'''^k to their camp, and 
be directed, appointed a committee o safe" and thl nSu 'hT ''''T' ''f'' ^^^'""^ ' °^^-^ 
also held public meetino-s, to take into cons der tent wL f -T' ^''"'^ ''^'^^^ ^« ^he officers' 

atioa what course would be bestX them to t2 ' "" *"A'' *^^'^ P^'^^'^' ^^^fore a jurj of 

pursue, under the existing state of things Whe. IZZJ^T/^T^^'- '' 1- '^'^'^^^'^''^^ -'-^ as 
they saw the proclamation of the United State? • I™ ' ? .r n'' ^°*'"^ ^^' prosecutor. The 

marshal, filled as it was with exa^. 4ed ac^^ 

counts and misstatements of what had tran' nl.T^ ^f.™''"^' '" ^^<'^''^S Free State princl- 
pired in Lawrence, thcv held a nnhlio 1 . ^ ' ?°*^ ^-''^'"- ^ ^^^'^e State paper. Witnesses 

and appointed a comm'it e t V en t ZIZ aT7h"'™f ^;^"/' 7'^° '^^"'^'^^ '° ^is Free SoTl o, 
ward a communication to the S ha! whkh I Sn e I'SI tliem, Abolition principles, '&c 
thej did, as follows: ' ""^''^ ^"'"f testihed that they knew his parents in 

they never did own any, but were regarded as 
Abohtionists there ; and his father had once been 
tarred and feathered for Abolition sentiments 
Miller was himself examined at length, before 
this self-constituted jury, and while his examina- 
tion was in progress, two Pro-Slavery citizens of 
- :-.- -" ■■ I Lawrence, Mr. James Christian and Dr Garvin 

.ne,r oi;!;:?::;';^'.,:^- ^ ^^f ^'f-^> -p^n hearing of Miiier-s'c^;;^; 

your.seii; or any p.^r^^;^, for Lecompton, to endeavor to obtain his release 
dire ourselves to ««.=, I and had been taken prisoners, were brouaht 
into camp. They testified to the general good 
character of Miller, and the many warm frifnds 
he had made among the Pro-Slavery men of tli« 
territory. The case was then submitted to the 
jury, after argument from Major Wilkes for the 
prosecution, and from some one who volunteered 
for the defence, The prisoner was then conducted 
back to the guard tent, while the jury were left 
to agree upon their verdict. In the course of 
fialt an hour, the prisoner was re-conducted he- 



, "Lawrence. Miry 12 1S56 

yoL,r/4,'' Zl-,\Yu)^V^ ''^" vour proc-lamalion.issued by 
yo»r^, ir. clrttt-d nth May, mst., and also have reliThl,^ in 
fon„Ht,o:.. .l„s morning. ,h:.t lar^e bod^s o7/nned ^ne " 

to'a^!'"^' """^'^ "• '^ ^"■' "" "lisunt'erstandina-, we be^l,-ave 

what ire*'*tht''''Jh'.'''' *^'"" ^■'' '"''5' ''^ relinbly infoniitd.) I r'" i--&'^^-=, ^"o I'ro-oiaverv Citizens oi 

ecutiou of any legal nrocess l)V v 

acting- under vou^ We -Uo nL,i,r,r'„:,'.*; "' "■"> i"'""*"" 

yo.ir called upon, u^d't^X/'^^t^]^,^^^ 

ab^n' cul^^n' a^^f oT' '" '•" "'''-^-'"^in^ and law- 

uesirov the town and drive off the piii/en* r\r 

operate wah ihe.n for th,-, m^mtenance of the place I f *i rV ^ ' "^ ""^ ^-^ui.uucteu oe- 

ordei, and cjuiet, ol the community in which we live ^°''^ ^^^"'- ^^ fo""^! them standing with thei- 

" ' "■' -SKkT MORRO.V ' f .i!" '^'f ^''- ";^'' '''^''' "P°'^ ^^''''S placed be- 
'■1:vman'aTlkn°''^- ?'■^'^'^'!!! '^]fy ■"f"'-™^^ him that the\-erdict was 

^ -JOHN HUrcHINSON. ,. "f't gu'lty, because his parents had been Abo- 

l- ^ T>o^Awsos. u. s. Marshal for K. Ty lUionists before him. Major Wilkes informed 

This communication was taken to the marshal flt?'"'''i P^''^^''^^' ^^^^ ^^ ^""^ ^^® marshal had 
Lecompton, by Messrs. Roberts and Sock Ivh^T.' *''^'* °« -^^tter what sentence the jury 
MiUer, editor of the Free State newspaper at I avv r ^^ ^f' "'^ ^u^' ^' ^'^^"''^ ^« ''■'^^^ back /o 
rence, accompanied them, in order ti attend To ,^'''°'^f'°" ^^ ^^^ marshal, before they should 
some private business of his own. As the Sate of f^T l"^ f '""'' 'l' ^^'^^'' ^'^^ then allowed 
affairs was such in the country, that no Free Sta'e f^n T' n?" ^f ?'"'^''' ^'^'''''^ ^^^^^ ^*^ken 
mancould pass in safety from 01 e place to anoUe; T' P'/^' ^' ^'^^' ^'' P'"'^ ^^^ volunteer 

without either the pica of going fo T^e so^e offi ' T?''\ T ^f""'"' ''' ^'' ^^^^'^'^^ "^ ^''^■ 
cer who was considere.i by the^e bands of armed v'' '."p k^' "'"'^'''^ '^»'' ^^ ^^^''''- Cab- 

men as right on the all-important "estionTr a ?^sn .'f ^t''''' ''.'''' ''''''''' °^" ^^wrence, 
pass from some one whosUuthoity th^y^r Vb^i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



pass trom some one whose authoritv ther nm \ eu ■ . ^. , " ->. .^ ^^ v.u 

fessed to respect, Messrs. Roberts and B^bc^k I ^""^ '"' ^'''^ "' ^^'^^- ^' '' ^^ ^"^^"^^ •• 

obtained a pass of the marshal, after receivincr 

his reply, and started on their return to Lawrence" 

Mr Miller accompanying them. About a mile from I signed byone'o7yo"a as Pn.';;rnrrd\he on?r i' ' 
Lecomptiou, hey were stopped by a party of some '^^7^ Purponin,., t'o have been ^doprcd ,, ' a meen" "cT/ 
SIX men, under Captain W. D. Wilkes, of South tTd!.''! ".ned hr'""'*;?- ^^''' speaking of the proclar 
Carohna who inquired if Miller was' with the S;": .''tan^d"lt4Cireto "^^ 
pary. Upon his being pointed out to them, -^-M be re!rabry^nform:d,VX -rre^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Wilkes inciuired if thev h>.H nn = cno „v,,i o„i,.l...' I ag^-^mst us ? We de^^ire to state, mon trinhuMii and ear 

nestly, that no opi)osiUon whatever will now oTdl any /w- 



ture tinne. be ofTercd to the execution of any les:al procpss 
by yourself, or any person ac ing (or you. We al=o pledtre 
ourselves to assist you, if called upon, in the execution of 
any lej^al process.' iScc. 

'■ From your professed isfnorance of ihe demantls asains' 
you, I must conclude thai you are strangers, and nol citi- 
zens o( Lawrence, or of recent dale, or ^ ave be^n abs-iil 
for some dine — ihemorepanicularly,wlienan al tempt was 
made by my depuly marsh.il to execute a process of ihe 
first judicial court of the United Slates for Kansas Terri- 
tory, when Governor Reeder made a speech in the room 
and presence of the Congressional Committee, mid de- 
Tiiel the authority and power of said d> puty, if he !it- 
temptf-d to execute said process; which speech and de- 
fiml threats w-re loudly applnuded by some one or two 
huidred of X\\f citizens of Lawrenc", who had -^ssi mbled 
at the room, on hearinsf the biisiup'^s of the mnrshal. and 
made such hostile df-moiisirations that the deputy thousrht 
he and his small potse would endanger their hves in exe- 
cuiins: said process. 

'•Your declaration that 'you will truthfully and earnest- 
ly olf-^r no opposition, now or at anv fuiure lime, to lln^ 
execution of any le^'al process,' &.c.,'is indeed difficult to 
un''erstand. ]\Iay I ask, gentlemen, what has prodncrd 
thi-i woiiderfu change in the minds of the people of Law- 
rence ? Have th- ir eyes h^ en opened sotha' t'-ey are now 
able to see t^at there are 'awsin lorce in Kansas Terr! lory 
which should be obeyed ? Or is it that just now those for 
wliom I liave wr.ts have sousrht refuge elsewhere? Or 
it may possildy be that \ou now. as heretofore, ex- 
pect to screen yourselves behind the word lei^al, so 
significantly tised by you. How am I to ri-ly on your 
pledges, when I am well nware that the whole popu- 
laliou of Lawrence is armed and drilled, and the town 
fortified; when, too. I recollect the meetings and resolu- 
tions adopted in Lawrfuce, and else wher.-- in the Territory, 
openly defying the laws and llie officers thereof threaten 
ing to resist the same to a bloody issue, and recently verified 
in the attempted assassinaiiou of Sheriff" Jones, while in 
the discharge of his official dutv in Lawrence? Are you 
strangers to all these things? Sorely von must he stranger.- 
ai Lawrence. If no outrages have been commiited by the 
citizens of Lawrence against the laws of ihe land, they need 
not f( ar any posse of mine ; but I must t!>ke the liberty of 
executing tlie processes in my hands ps United Stales 
marshal in my own lim" and manner, and shall only use 
such power as is authorized hv law. 

'•You say \ ou call upon the fonstituted authorities of 
the Government for pro'eetion. This indeed seems s'range. 
coming from a large body of men, armed with Sharpe's 
rifles and other implements of war. bound together by 
oitlis and pledges to resist the laws of the Goverumeiii 
they call on for protection. All persons in Kansa 
Territory, without retrard to location, who honestly snh- 
mit to the constituted authorities, will ever find me ready 
to aid in protecting them; and all who seek to resist the 
laws of the land, ana turn traitors to their country, will 
find me aiding in enforcii g the laws, if not as an officer. 
as a private citizen. 

"Respectfully, your*, 

"LB. DOVALDSON, 

V S. Marshal for K. T. 
"Messrs. G. W. Dibtzlkr and S. M GRE^■^', 

" Larcrence, Kansas Territory." 

The position of the people of Lawrence 
had now become extremely critical. The town 
was surrotinded by bodies of armed men, who 
openly declared their intention of destroying 
the place, and driving its inhabitants out of 
the Territory. Not a man could leave the 
town without running the risk of being taken 
prisoner, and robbed, if not put in danger of 
life, by some of the prowling bands of ma- 
rauders with which the whole of that portion of 
the Territory wag infested. None could come into 
the town without running the same guantlet. The 
mere suspicion of being in favor of making Kan- 
sas a free State, was sufhcient to expose any 
man to the enmity and brutality of men who 
professed no regard for right and justice, and 
only claimed to be actuated by a fixed purpose 
of exterminating all who differed with them in 
opinion upon the subject of Slavery. 



The citizens of Lawrence appealed to the Got- 
ernor and the United States marshal, for some 
statement of the demands and charges against 
them, and for protection against the lawless hordes 
threatening the destruction of theraselyes and 
their property. They were met with insult and 
contumely, from those who had been placed over 
them by the President of the United States. The 
most gross misrepresentations which could be fab- 
ricated by those determined upon their destruc- 
tion, were accepted by the officers of the law, and 
made the basis of charges against them, that had 
no foundation whatever in truth. The decla- 
ration of Governor Reeder, that he would defend 
himself, on the ground that he was privileged by 
his position, and by the laws of his country, from 
arrest, was tortured into armed resistance by 
the whole body of the people of Lawrence to the 
execution of the laws. Tlie shooting of Jones 
was converted into an evidence of the settled pur- 
pose of the whole Free State party to " openly 
defy the laws, and the officers thereof, and to re- 
sist the same to a bloodj' issue," when the peo- 
ple of Lawrence themselves had been the first in 
public meeting to denounce the attempt upon 
the life of Jones, as a cowardly assassination, 
and to take steps for the discovery and convic- 
tion of the perpetrator of that deed ; while the 
officers of the law in the Territory had taken no 
measures to discover and punish the guilty, but 
had contented themselves with the broad, ground- 
less declaration, that all the citizens of Lawrence 
were instigators of and accomplices in the act. 

The collected energies of the Government of 
the Territory were directed against the people of 
Lawrence. The armed bands of robbers and 
plunderers that surrounded the town were incor- 
porated into the jiosse of the United States mar- 
shal, and thus their acts sanctioned under the 
laws; while the voluntary offer of the citizens of 
Lawrence to furnish from their own number a 
posse for the execution of any process in the 
hands of the marshal, or anyone acting for him, 
was treated by him with disdain and insult, and 
their professions designated as deceitful and 
false. They were charged with being in open 
rebellion to the laws, when no resistance had 
been made by one of their number, and when 
they again and again professed their willingness 
not only to submit to them, but to aid in their 
execution. 

Nothing was left undone, that could goad a 
free and proud people to resistance, that there 
might be soine slight show of truth for the 
charges made against them. They were told 
that their leaders had ignominiously fled at the 
first dawn of danger. Their own professions of 
respect for law and justice were charged upon 
them as evidences of cowardice and fear. De- 
mands were made of them, which nothing but 
their respect for even the forms of law, even when 
united with the grossest oppression and tyranny, 
could induce them to grant. And when all else 
failed, they were told, by the Governor and the mar- 
shal, that they must permit their public buildings 
to be demolished, their presses destroyed, and 
even surrender their ])rivate arms, their onl}' pro- 
tection, as the oSicers of the Government had 



refused to afford thera any, ao:ainst robbei-y and 
assassination ; and to render this demand as in- 
sufferable as possible, at the same time it was 
made, they were told, by the very officers who 
had called out the lawless bands about them, 
that they were beyond their control, and nothing 
could be done by them to prevent their enacting 
the most brutal excesses. 

And while they themselres were the persons 
immediately threatened, the people of Lawrence 
well knew that the lull extent of any course they 
should decide upon would react upon the whole 
Free Sti'te party of Kansas, should they deter- 
mine upon resistance ; whether it should prove 
succcessful or not, the results must be detri- 
mental to the Free State party. In the case of 
success, then the whole force of the Territorial 
and Federal Governments would be directed, not 
only against the people of Lawrence, by whom 
the resistance should be made, but against all 
the people of the Territory who should be sus- 
pected of sympathizing with them in political 
opinion. Should their resistance not prove suc- 
cessful, then it would serve only to arouse the 
worst passions of their enemies, and reprisal and 
outrages would be wreaked upon the entire Free 
State party, because the people of Lawrence at- 
tempted to defend their homes and firesides. 

The course of passive submission was then 
the only course left open to them ; and though 
the charge of cowardice would be made against 
them, still the people of Lawrence determined to 
submit to present misfortune and misrepresenta- 
tion, rather than expose their brethren else- 
where in the Territory to the same evils which 
threatened them, and trust to the future to prove 
that their course had been dictated by far-seeing 
wisdom and prudence, and that submission was 
sometimes a surer test of courage than vain and 
useless resistance. 

Such, then, was their position, and the course 
they determined to pursue. They were exposed 
to a brutal and ungovernable mob of lawless in- 
vaders. The evils impending over them could 
not be averted. The officers of the Government, 
whose duty it was to so administer the power 
in their hands as to best secure their lives 
and property, were leagued with the hordes who 
threatened their destruction. They were de- 
prived of the presence of the Committee of the 
House of Representatives, which many consid- 
ered as a guarantee of freedom from attack while 
they were in their midst. Circumstances were 
such, that however willing the Committee might 
have been to give them all the benefit their pre?- 
ence might afford, they were unable to remain. 
They had made an appointment, before the then 
existing state of affairs had arisen, to meet in 
another part of the Territory; any failure to 
meet that appointment would have been eagerly 
seized by their enemies, and so used as certainly' 
to detract from, if not entirely defeat, all the ben- 
eficial results which were confidently expected 
from their investigations. Accordingly, the Com- 
mittee removed their sessions from Lawrence to 
Leavenworth city, leaving the former place on 
the 13th of May. 
la order that no blame might attach to them, 



for having omitted anything that could avert 
the evils impending over them, though the ex- 
perience of the past year proved, most conclu- 
sively, bow utterly regardless of right and jus- 
tice were those with whom they had to deal, they 
continued to address the Governor and marshal, 
repeating their former assurances, and claiming 
their protection, with what success the scenes of 
the 21st of May can best demonstrate. They ap- 
plied to Colonel Sumner for the protection of the 
trooi)S under his command ; but he w;is unable 
to afford it, being himself subject to the orders 
of the Governor, who sanctioned all these pro- 
ceedings. They invited the Committee to return 
to their town ; but that was utterly impossible, 
without risking the great object for \a hich they 
had been appointed. 

The approaching storm was fast closing over 
the doomed town. Each day, new acts of bar- 
barity and ruffianism were committed by the law- 
less bands that surrounded Lawrence. All per- 
sons going to and from Lawrence, unless pro- 
vided with passes from the Governor or marshal, 
or some of the other leaders, were, if discovered, 
taken prisoners, robbed, and maltreated, and not 
seldom their lives threatened. The wagons of 
peaceful emigrants were stopped and searched^ 
and their contents sometimes taken. Houses 
were entered and plundered; cattle and stock 
driven off the farms of Free State settlers, 
or butchered before the eyes of their owners. 
Horses and oxen were taken from the plows, 
while at work. "Women and children were threat- 
ened, unless thej' gave information of the where- 
abouts of their husbands and fathers ; and wan- 
toa, cold-blooded murder swelled the list of the 
lawless acts of these ruffians, whom the Gov- 
ernor and other officers of the Territory digni- 
fied with the name of "the posse of the United 
States marshal." An inoffensive citizen, after 
having been robbed of his pistol by a band of 
these ruffians, was shot in the back, as he was 
riding from them to his house, and died of his 
wound shortly after. Young Stewart, hardly ia 
the flower of his youth, was shot through the 
head, within a short distance of Lawrence, and 
instantly killed, 

The armed bands were under the command of 
Colonel Titus, of Florida ; Dr. L H. Stringfellow, 
of the Kansas Legislature ; Colonel Peter T. Abell, 
of Atchison; Colonel J. Buford, of Alabama; David 
R. Atchison, of Missouri ; Major G. W. Clark, aa 
Indian agent under appointment of the Presi- 
dent ; Warren D. Wilkes, of South Carolina, and 
others, all claiming to be acting un4er the orders 
of the United States marshal, I. B. Donaldson, 
and the Governor, Wilson Shannon. They were 
armed with United States muskets and rifies, fur- 
nished them by the Governor, and other rifles 
and gunf, many of which they had stolen from 
the Free State settlers in various parts of the Ter- 
ritory. They had cannon which were brought 
from Missouri, some by David R. Atchison, who 
headed a company from that State. 

The whole of that portion of the Territory was 
under the control of this armed mob ; prisoners 
were taken by them daily, robbed of all their arms 
and valuables of every description, kept in close 



confinement, badly fed, and worse treated, many 
threatening them with hanging, and all uniting 
iu cursing and abusing them. The most con- 
spicuous in this work of brutality was Dr. J. H. 
Stringfellow, who seemed to take especial pleas- 
ure in cursing and abusing the helpless prison- 
ers in his power, and in doing all he could to in- 
flict pain upon those women who had braved all 
dangers to cheer and comfort their husbands in 
their captivity ; brutally ordering them away, and 
separating them- from their husbands, despite all 
fheir tears and entreaties, and the request of some 
associated M'ith him, not so far lost to all humane 
feeling as himself. 

On Tuesday, l^Iay 20, these forces began to gather 
on the heights about Lawrence. On Wednes- 
day, the 21st, they moved farther down, within 
sight of the town, and planted their cannon, and 
proceeded to make preparations for immediate 
attack. They were reinforced by companies from 
Franklin, and Lecompton. Addresses were made 
to them by the United States marshal and David 
R. Atchison, in which they were urged by every 
expression of hate to the Free-Soilers, and appeals 
to their worst passions, to thoroughly carry 
out the work of destruction for which they had 
been gathered together. The different compa- 
nies had each its separate flag, upon which were 
devices and mottoes of various kinds. Even the 
flag of this Republic was desecrated by being 
unfurled to the same breeze that shook out the 
folds of a black and white flag ; one with purple 
stripes, containing, instead of the field of stars in 
the corner, a tiger crouching for a spring ; a blood- 
red fl^ig with a white star in the centre, the motto 
of "Southern Rights" on one side, and "South 
Carolina" on the other, and others of a similar 
character. 

About 11 o'clock in the morning, Deputy Mar- 
ehal Fane came into the city of Lawrence, with 
a small force, armed with bowie-knives and pis- 
tols ; he called upon Colonel Eldridge, the pro- 
prietor of the hotel Ihey afterwards destroyed, 
his brother. Colonel John A. Perry, and Colonel 
Topliff, in the name of the United States, to join 
his posse, and assist l>im in making arrests. 
True to the promise made by the citizens of Law- 
rence to the Governor and marshal, that they 
would assist, when called on, to execute any 
writs there might be against their citizens, these 
gentlemen at once joined the posse. They then 
arrested G. W. Dietzler and Judge G. W. Smith, 
upon the charge of high treason, and levying war 
against the Government. Other persons, against 
whom the deputj' marshal had writs, were sought 
for, but were not found, as they were not in the 
city. After having made all the arrests they 
could, the posse and prisoners took dinner in the 
hotel, upon the invitation of Colonel Eldridge, 
that being the first and last public meal ever 
eaten in that house. The deputy marshal then 
went upon the hill where the forces were gath- 
ered, and put not only his prisoners under guard, 
but also the citizens of Lawrence who had acted 
in his posse, in pursuance of his orders. Shortly 
after they reached the camp, Jacob Branson and 
Gains Jenkins, who had been taken prisoners, 
■were brought in and placed under guard. All the 



prisoners were confined in the private residence 
of Dr. Charles Robinson, which they had broken 
into, and taken complete possession of, with all 
its contents. 

In the early part of the afternoon, Samuel J. 
Jones, acting as sheriff of Douglas county, rode 
into town, accompanied by some eighteen or 
twenty armed men, and drew up in front of the 
Free State Hotel, and demanded to see General 
S. C. Pomeroy. Upon his appearing, Jones de- 
manded, " by order of the first district court of 
the United States for the Territory of Kansas, 
that all the Sharpe's rifles and cannon in the town 
of Lawrence" be delivered up to him, and, pull- 
ing out his watch, gave General Pomeroy "five 
minutes to decide whether he would deliver them 
up, and one hour to stack them in the street." 
General Pomeroy asked for a longer time to de- 
cide upon the demand, which Jones peremptorily 
refused. After consulting other citizens of the 
town, Pomeroy decided to surrender the cannon, 
which consisted of three small breech-loading 
cannon, and one brass twelve-pound howitzer, 
but " told Jones that the rifles, if there were any, 
were private property, and he could have no con- 
trol over them." The cannon were then brought 
out, and delivered up to Jones, who ordered the 
citizens to take them to where the forces were 
gathered, " under threats of being immediately 
bayoneted if they refused." 

While these events were transpiring iu the town 
the entire armed force, consisting of some four 
or five hundred men, marched down the hill upon 
which they had been stationed, with their can- 
non, and their flags flying, and formed into a 
hollow square at the entrance of the main street 
of the city, with their canmm commanding the 
street. The small posse of Sheriff' Jones had 
been reinforced by some foi-ty from the main 
army. The cannon that had been surrendered 
by the citizens of Lawrence were carried within 
the hollow square, and Gen. David R. Atchison, 
of Missouri, mounting the howitzer, addressed 
the mob in substance as follows : 

"Tliis (liiy. boys, I aiti a Kiikapoo Ranjrer. Tliis dny 
is lhe ino.ots'lorious of my life. By God, this day biive we 
filtered 1 awrt'.iiee with 'PoHllitTU Rifjhis' inscribed 
upon our banners, and not one damned Alo'itionist has 
dnred to fir._- a pun. A ^ulorious victory, lioys, l)y God. 
We liave entered the damned city, and to-nii;hl the Ab- 
obii'inisf: will learn a Southern lessoii tliat ihey will re- 
memb<rto the day of their dea'h. That Einisfrant Aid 
Hotel, with her port-holes, must this day be tested, and it 
l)lown to hell. The damned Abolilionist presses must go 
into the Kaw river, and there soak out some of their 
(lark<'y love. And now, boys, we will go in with ourliou- 
or-'hle Jones, (who had just ri'Uleii up to them,) and test 
lhe slrenajth of that damned Free State Hotel, and teach 
the F.miurant Aid Society that Kansas shall he ours. ,If 
the men or women undertake to stop us. we will hang 
ihem. by God. A lady is entitled to the pro ection of 
every gentleman, and I trust that ladies will l>e respected 
liy allsentlemen But when a woman takes upon herself 
the garb of a soldier, by earrjing a Sharpe's rifle, then 
she is no more w^orthy your protection liian a savage 
brute; she is no longer a woman, and, liy God, treat her 
as you find her, and trample her under foo'. as you would 
a snake. 1 now give you into the hands of Slieriff Jones, 
to become his pi.sse, and assist him in enforcing the laws 
of Kansas. Coine on. boys, to your duty to yourselves 
and to your Southern friends. Your duly 1 know you will 
do f iilifully ; and if a man or woman dare to stand be- 
fore you, blow them to hell with a chunk of cold lead." 

This characteristic speech was received with 



the most boisterous yells and shouts. At its 
close, the whole force marched into town, under 
the lead of Sheriff Jones. Two companies were 
detailed to destroy the printing-presses and ma- 
terials of the Herald of Freedom and Free State 
newspapers. The blood-red flag, as the sign of 
their being doomed to destruction, was hoisted 
upon the Free State Hotel and the two printing 
offices, amid the yells of the mob. The printing 
offices were entered, the presses and furniture 
broken up, and, with the type, &;c., scattered in 
the street and thrown into the river. 

The mob then turned their attention to the 
Free State Hotel. Sheriff Jones told Colonel 
Eldridge, the proprietor, that he would allow 
him one hour to remove his family and furniture. 
Col. Eldridge replied, that he could not remove 
his furniture in that time, and should there- 
fore remove only his family. At five o'clock, 
the forces commenced bombarding the hotel, 
having planted in front of it, for that purpose, 
one of the cannon surrendered to the sheriff by 
the citizens, and some they had brought along 
with them. They fired thirty or more balls at 
the walls of the hotel, some of which rebounded 
■without doing any material damage, and others 
passed through the walls. Finding this a slow 
method of destroying the building, they at- 
tempted to blow it up with gunpowder, but did 
not succeed in doing so. The building was then 
set on fire, and consumed, with a great portion of 
its valuable contents, the walls falling in as the 
interior was consumed. 

While one portion of this " posse " was engaged 
in destroying the printing-presses and the hotel, 
others were engaged in breaking open and plun- 
dering stores and private houses. Here is what 
an eye-witness states : 

"Jones rode up in front of Ihe hotel, and notified ttie 
proprietors tliat they must leave that house, for he w;is 
{,'oiiig to tear it down. Being well acq'iainted wiih !\ir. 
.Tones, I stepped forward, and asked him by what author- 
ity he destroyed the printing-;)re^s 'S and the hotel. His an 
svver was umtjui vocal ajid distinct : ' The grand jury have 
presented the hotel and the ivi-o priiiiingpresses as nui- 
sances, and I hoM an order from the court to abate them, 
and I shall do it.' He then had the four cannon placed about 
150 feet fr'-^m and in front of the hotel. They fired thirty 
shots at the front side, and could not dainaije it much. So the 
order wa- given by Colonel Titus, who was the military 
comijfiauder, to set the building on fire. The order was 
obeyed, atid the house burned to the ground. 

'■ While they were firing upon the hotel, I went to the 
post office, and found that they had just run the clerk out. 
because he had a SharpeV rifle. While there, there was a 
party of the jwise came into the office. Some one of them 
kicked the door open leading into the post office, it being 
an apartment in a store. They went in, looked about un- 
til their curiosity was satisfied, and then came out Dr. 
J. H. Siriiigfcllow was of the num''er. Dr. Stringfellow 
looked about and said, ' What en n I take for plunder?' His 
eye fell upon some cigars, and he took two boxes, put 
themunder his ariri, and said, as he walked off, "This will 
do for rre.' I left the post office, and went to the store of 
G. W. & W. Hutchinson & Co. The store was locked. 
Colonel Titus said : '[ think there are Sharpe's rifles in 
there; stave her in, boys, if she is locked.' Tliey obeyed 
him by hreakiinr in the front window with the butts of 
their guns, and then cawled in, some ten of them. 1 then 
left that place for my lioarding-house. On iny way there. 
I saw a party of men who seemed to be overjoyed at some 
prize they hf;d obtained. I wentui> to them, and found if to 
be the tru"k of A. H. Rc-eder. They had broken the lid 
off, and were <.'mptying the contents on the ground, each 
collecting some ariiele of clothing, some letter, or some 
paper, that pleased their fancy.- iw.iitto my boardijig- 
house, and found that it was guarded, and that men were 



inside. They had burst in the window, and went in and 
came out th'it way. A* sooit as they left, I went into the 
house, and found tiiat they had biokeiiopeii all the trunks in 
ihel ouse. all ihedrawersof the secretaries — in fact, lifled 
everything m the house. I found that they had taken all 
of my clothing, matiy of iny private letters, and g?539 in 
money, from niy trunk, and had taken all the clothing of 
the gi mleuirtu with whom I boarded. I saw them jiass 
across the street, breaV Ihe windov.s in of the house of B. 
.folinson. p.nd quite a number passed m through the window. 
After some lime, they came out, shouting triunnphantly, 
with their arms full of clothing and two or three common 
guns. I then went to the place where we had t»ken the 
women and children for safety, and watched the burning 
of the hotel. 

''The jjo.vse began to go homeward, and while they were 
passing the house of Governor (^Dharles Pobin^on, it was 
set on fire three times, at:d as otlen exiinguishetl. We 
thought they had all left town, atid began to come to our 
houses afiain, when there came back some filly men, 
mounted, who rode aroiii\d the ruins ol the hotel, and gave 
three ch'-ers. On their return to their camp, the house of 
(ioveniT Charles Robinson was set on fire and burned. 
Thus endfd the ahnlnntniof the 7ntisances, which the court 
ordtrcd Sheriff Joyiis to abate." 

The same system of robbery and plunder wag 
carried on with regard to the other buildings in 
Lawrence — this " posse of the United States Mar- 
shal for Kansas Territory " stealing money, cloth- 
ing, letters, and valuable papers, kc, and in many 
cases wantonly destroying that which was too 
bulky for them to take away, or was not sufHciently 
valuable to tempt their cupidity. Even those 
citizens who had been summoned into and had 
entered the posse of the deputy marshal, to aid 
in making arrests, did not escape the fate of 
their neighbors, though the Governor himself had 
assured them that hy so doing their property 
would be protected. The hotel burned was oc- 
cupied by Colonel Eldridge. The house of Colonel 
Perry was entered, and money and valuables 
belonging to him and to Colonel Topiiff, to the 
amount of $2,000, stolen or destroyed. The total 
loss to the citizens of Lawrence on that day, has 
been variously estimated :it from $100,000 to 
$200,000. The total loss to the Free State citi- 
zens of that town and vicinity can never be as- 
certained. Farmers and mechanics were kept 
for weeks from their daily labor, being obliged 
to guard day and night the town of Lawrence and 
their houses on their farms; prevented from put- 
ting in their crops for the ensuing year, or, when 
attempting to do so, having their teams taken 
from their plows and carts in the field, and either 
butchered before their faces, or driven off by 
these bands of robbers. 

While these transactions were taking place in 
and near Lawrence, under the sanction of the 
officers of the law, others of a similar character 
were occurring in other parts of the Territory. 
The mail carriers were stopped at Franklin and 
other places, and the mail bags searched and 
plundered. The system of espionage and plunder 
even extended to the State of Missouri. The 
steamboat William Campbell was boarded by a 
mob at Parkville, Missouri, on Sunday, the 18th 
of May, and General P. C. Schuyler and Judge 
Martin F. Conway, Free State men, then on their 
way to Kansas, to meet any charges that might 
be made against them, were forcibly taken from 
the boat, and detained in that place. After being 
held piisoners for a day, they were permitted to 
go on to the Territory, their captors seeing the 



10 



absurdity of their conduct ia thus keeping from 
the officers of the Territory those for whom they 
said warrants had been or were about to be 
issued. 

The citizens of Lawrence had, by their wise 
and prudent course, succeeded fully in placing 
their enemies in the wrong. If law and justice 
had been outraged, the officers of the law and 
their posse had committed the outrage. If atro- 
cities had been committed, the marshal and 
sheriif, with their regularly-constituted posaes, 
had been the perpetrators. The citizens of Law- 
rence had resisted no law, whether valid or 
otherwise, had committed no outrages, had 
countenanced no rebellion. They had chosen 
rather to submit to oppression and tyranny, and 
trust to the future for reparation, than, by exer- 
cising their right of self-defence, to give their 
enemies an opportunity to charge them and their 
Free State brethren elsewhere in the Territory 
with disobedience to the laws. 

The deed had been done. Tidings had been 
borne to the world, that in this land of Freedom, 
a Territory had been invaded by armed bands of 
ruffians, a town had been besieged and entered, 
buildings burned, private dwellings plundered^ 
women and children driven in terror from their 
homes, and wanton, cold-blooded murder com- 
mitted — all done under direction and with the 
sanction of officers appointed by the President 
of the United States of America — and for what? 
Solely because the people of Kansas Territory 
were opposed to having the institution of human 
Slavery established in their midst, by the un- 
authorized interference of the citizens of Mis- 
souri. True, the charge had been made, that 
the people of Lawrence had armed themselves 
to resist the laws, had bound themselves by 
oaths and pledges to pay no obedience to the 
officers of the law; had even attempted to as- 
sassinate the officer who had attempted to ex- 
ecute the law in their town. But it was equally 
true, that no proof was ever obtained that any 
of these charges had the least foundation in 
fact, but, on the contrary, they had all been de- 
nied, and their authors defied to substantiate 
them ; no proof had been forthcoming, and no 
steps taken to obtain any proof; on the con- 
trary, the conduct of those who instigated and 
carried on the attack upon the town of Lawrence 
was such as to warrant the conviction that 
they studiously avoided all efforts to substan- 
tiate their charges, knowing full well how ut- 
terly false and groundless they were. 

The natural consequences "of these outrages 
began quickly to make themselves apparent. 
In every portion of the Territory, the Free State 
citizens began to prepare for action, and deep 
mutterings of vengeance were every where heard. 
A portion of the so-called posse of the United 
Slates marshal had left the scene of their misdeeds, 
and retired to their homes in the Northern part 
of the Territory, and in Missouri ; one band of 
them, under David R. Atchison, having had the 
effrontery to ask of the citizens of Lawrence, 
whom they had robbed and plundered, permis- 
sion to pass through their town unmolested, 
which was generously accorded to them. The 



greater portion, however, still remained stationed 
at Lecompton, the seat of Government of the 
Territory, and threatened to attack the town of 
Topeka and other places, whose inhabitants pre- 
ferred Freedom to Slavery. 

The aspect of affairs became so threatening, 
that the Governor hastened to call out Colonel 
Sumner, with the United States troops under hia 
command. Governor Shannon had refused to call 
out these troops, when repeatedly requested to 
do so by the citizens of Lawrence, in order to 
afford them protection. But now, when the 
armed rabble had fully carried out their pur- 
poses, had robbed and plundered the town of 
Lawrence, had burned its houses and murdered 
its citizens, he made haste to call out the troops, 
to protect them from the well-merited vengeance 
of the people they had outraged. Instead of using 
the authority vested in him to protect the people 
over whom he had been placed, he exercised it 
to afford protection to those who had invaded 
the Territory, and successfully carried out their 
piratical and murderous designs, and who now- 
threatened to perform similar acts in other por- 
tions of the Territory. 

The citizens of Topeka, upon hearing that an 
attack was contemplated upon them, addressed a 
communication to Governor Shannon, to which 
he returned the following reply: 



"Executive Office, 
" Lecompton, K. T., May 23, 1S56. 
"Gentlemen: Your memorial, which U not dated, lias 
just hceii ivceived. In r^ply, 1 would beg leave to say, 
thai [ liave no douht ihat the oulraa;es of which jou 
speak have b^-ea jrreatly exafrgeraied and highly colored. 
[| may be that there are men on both sides who are desirous 
to complicate the present difficulties in this Tenitory. and 
who leel no part.cnlar interest in avoidina- the evils of 
civil war. Uiiuer these circumstances, it be omes the 
law-abidinq- citizens of both parties to act with caution, 
and not to lend a willing carlo all the reports that are 
tloaiins through the country. 

'The United Stales marshal, as well as the sheriff of 
this county, as you are d.iubtless aware, have each been 
resisted in the execution of writs in their hands, by cit- 
izens in the town of Lawrence. The life of one of these 
lias been attempted, and that of the oilier threatened, under 
circumstances tojuftifyihe most serious apprehensions as 
10 personal salety, if he should asain attempt the service 
of writs in iliat place. LInder these cireuiiistauoes, each 
of thesf officers, by virtue of the power which the law 
vesis in them, assembled a posse large enough to insure 
the service of process. They have gol through serv- 
ing the writs in their hai.ds as far "as praclicalrle at 
present, and each has dismissed his posse. Nearly all 
who belonged to these posses have retired, and 1 think 
there is not the sliLfhlest da.iger of your being assailed, 
or in any way inol'^sled, unless private assus ination or 
personal outrage should rouse a public feeling which 
-hou'd a,'aiii bring into the field u ludy of men deter- 
mined to avenge re;il or supposed wrongs. 

•• It is useless lo disguise the fact, that' there is at this 
moineni imminent danVer of this— a result which 1 know 
you and all good citizens would deeply de lore. Mr. 
Cox and wire were fired ujion last evening, when riding 
out of Lawrence, the ball passing b. tween them. It is 
outrages of this kind that are cal ulated to bring on a civil 
war, which could not be eoiitroll' d by the public autliori- 
lies, and which would end only by the entire extermina- 
tion of one or the oilier of the parties. 

" Let ine appeal loone and all, to unite in averting these 
threate'ied evils. Let no one uiidert.ike to redress his 
own wrorg. hut appeal lo the law in all cases. It is the 
only safety 'or all pariii-s. and I can see no reason why 
ample security for bolh persons and properly cannot be 
as well Sf-cuied in this Terrilory as in any of the S ates, 
if ihe citizens would in good faith unite in aiding the 
officers of the law in arrasiing and bringing to justice all 
persons who violate the law. It is to be Vegreiied, that 



11 



.'there is n party in this Territory wlio refuse to recognise 
'Vthe validity of the Terrilorinl taws, and eo'isecjueiit y 
* take iiopnft in lirinsring otreiiders to ju'^tice, or in turnisli 
inn to l!»^' ohcers the names of witnesses, whose test- 
irrToiiy would he necessary in order to ferret out crime. 
I would mo^^t respeclfully solicit tlie aid and a'sistiince 
of the ciii/'iis of Topeka. in es'al)lishii'g a sound and 
hea'thy admiui^'raiion of the law. as the best means to 
secure the peace and >;ood order of society, the prosperity 
of the country, and their own personal safely. 

"With the vi<-w of securing all their rights, and pre- 
serving' peace and good order, and the jus' execution of 
the laws, I have mnde a requisition on Col. Rumner for 
three companies of troops, one company to be s'a ioned 
at Lawrence, one at this place, and one at Topeka. 
Should it be thought advisable to have troops >taii(;n'd 
at olhe- points, I will make an additional tequisiii n on 
Col. Sumner. He will be in Lawrence this evening with 
liis command, and I will lose no lime in ordering hi.s 
troops to Topeka. . 

'•I can assure you. I will exert all the powers vested m 
me to preserve order, and to secure the rijhts of persons 
and properly throughout the Teiriiory; but I wish the 
citizens to reflect, that much depends upon their own 
action, especially at this moment. 

"Yours, with great respect, 

"WIL!?ON SHANNON. 
"To Messrs. C. K. Holliday, D. H. Horne, and others.^' 



Now, examine carefully this document, written 
by the Governor of Kansas Territory to the cit- 
izens of Topeka, who had written to him to learn 
whether he would protect them against outrages 
like those committed in their sister city of Law- 
rence, or whether they must trust to their own 
stout arms and brave hearts for their own de- 
fence. He tells them " that the outrages of 
■which they speak have been greatly exaggerated 
and highly colored," aud says that "it becomes 
law-abiding citizens of both parties to act with 
caution, and not to lend a too-willing ear to all 
the reports that are floating through the coun- 
try." And, to show in what manner he himself 
practices what he recommends to others, he goes 
on immediately to state that " the U. S. marshal 
as well as the sheriff of this county * * .* 
have each been resisted in the execution of writs 
in their hands, by citizens of the town of Law- 
rence. The life of one of these has been at- 
tempted, and that of the other threatened, un- 
der circumstances to justify the most serious 
apprehensions as to personal safety, if he should 
again attempt the service of writs in that place." 
Now, the cilizens of Topeka were well aware 
that those statements were "greatly exagger- 
ated." They knew that the U. S. marshal Lad 
never attempted to serve a writ in Lawrence, 
and therefore could never have been "resisted 
by the citizens of Lawrence." The deputy 
niarshal had been there with a writ, and Gov. 
Reeder, against whom it was issued, had told 
him, that fDeireving he was privileged from arrest 
under any such writ, and that his life would be 
in danser from the mob if he suffered himself to 
be taken to Lecompton, if he, the deputy mar- 
shal, or any other person, attempted to arrest 
him, it would be at his peril. Not another person 
said a word about resistance ; and, as no attempt 
was made to serve the writ, no resistance was 
offered. If the sheriff had been resisted, it had 
been only by the individuals he had attempted 
to arrest^ arid that only in one or two instances. 
The "citizens of the town of Lawrence," as a geii- 
eral thing, while expressing no very exalted esti- 
mate of the man or the officer, had never resisted 



the sheriff, who had made several arrests in that 
place. It is true that the life of the sheriff had 
been attempted, but not by the "citizens of 
Lawrence," for they immediately, and as a body, 
publicly denounced the attempt, and were the 
only parties who had undertaken to discover the 
assassin. But grossly- exaggerated stattments 
of these transactions had been made, and, if not 
believed, at least the authorities had lent a will- 
ing ear to them, and, proceeding " to act with cau- 
tion," had assembled an overwhelming force, and 
wreaked their cowardly vengeance upon an un- 
offending community. And having learned that 
there was no protection for them in the laws as 
administered, should they undertake to defend 
themselves, the Governor says, that if " private 
assassination and personal outrage," as he terms 
the contemplated acts of self-protection, be com- 
mitted, it wotild " rouse a public feeling which 
would again bring into the field a body of men 
determined to avenge real or supposed wrongs." 
He says that " Mr. Cox and wife were fired 
upon last evening, when riding out of Lawrence, 
the ball passing between them." He himself 
gives credence, or affects to do so, to " greatly- 
exaggerated and highly-colored" statements, of 
which there was no proof whatever, and inti- 
mates that the Free State " citizens of Lawrence" 
had committed that outrage. He then goes on 
to say, that " it is outrages of this kind that are 
calcu'lated to bring on a civil war, which could 
not be controlled by the public authorities, and 
which would end only by the entire extennination 
of one or the other of'the parties." As he makes 
no mention of the outrages committed by the 
Pro-Slavery party not forty-eight hours before, 
or refers to them only as the " serving the writs 
in their (the marshal and sheriff's) hands, as far 
as practicable at present ; " as he does not allude 
even remotely to the murder of Jones and Stew- 
art, the Monday previous, by the Pro-Slavery 
party, without any provocation whatever; as 
these occurrences are deemed unworthy of no- 
tice, while the alleged firing a ball between Mr. 
Cox and his wife by the Free State " citizens of 
Lawrence " is considered an outrage calculated 
to lead to the entirfi extermination of one of the 
parties in the Territory, it did not require much 
penetration, on the part of the citizens of Topeka, 
to understand to whom the threat of entire exter- 
mination was intended to apply. The Governor 
appeals to the citizens of Topeka, to " let no one 
undertake to redress his own wrong, but appeal 
to the law in all cases," as affording " ainple 
security for both persons and property ; " to 
" unite in good faith in aiding the officers of the 
law," aud " in establishing a sound and healthy 
administration of the law, as the best means to 
secure the peace and good order of society, the 
prospeiHly of the country, and their own personal 
safety." What but mockery was it to ask this 
of tlie citizens of Topeka, when they knew that 
this Relf-sarae Governor, who thus appealed to 
the law as affording protection for person and 
property, himself told the citizens of Lawrence 
that they must deliver up their private arms, and 
suffer their hotel and printing-presses to be de- 
stroyed ; when they knew that those very citi- 



12 



ofthel.,i.^M Tf ""'^'J ^''^'^ "aided the officers 
o tl e law had been the heaviest sufferers from 
the "posse of the United States marshal," the 
house of one being cannonaded and burned o 

1, ^'T\^' ?^^ '^' ^'"'''^ °f ^"°ther entered 
and robbed, while they themselves were detaSed 
prisoners and saw their own property divided 
f.^^^,/';"' '^f'^^''^- ^^'h^t but mockery w'c 
with ''.l^;.'^™ !^i^^ ^'l^^n their hearts yet throbbed 



who had been kept a prisoner thereuntil news 
iemtorial Government, and steps could be taken 

whSrw 'r'"^°'■^^^° ^'^ farther deteruLn- 
^vhich was done by the grand jury at Lecompton 

T^I^f-'T'"''' '' '''^^' Lecompte, Sing' 
a bill of mdictment against him and others, fo? 

. , . , ...... .ucu aearis yet turobhed I ^H V. ''k"*"' T"^ •^^^'^ ^^^" ^'^ ^'"^^al arrest- 

with indignation at the recital of t^e deed' o^- p'^'^t-?,''°';■^^ 

barbantj and violence that had been comm te'l anS t eJ-J "^ ^T "^"' *° ^'^^«^°"" ^'^^^^ 1^™, 
at Lawrence, under the direction of "the offi er e™i V'^''?' ? '''"'§'' °^^^« ^'^"-^ff^^ Leav-' 
of the law," and their cheeks still burned vfti ^''^'''^^ ^o^-^^.^j to await orders from the seat of 
Bhame, that the chief executive of he IW^ -7 S°;"'"«^eni of the Territory. 

in which they lived ZT^:! '^VZZ\os!:Vl'^^^^^^^^^^^ 

sanction to such proceedings? ^''T^''^'''^' ^ °"n^ber of persons, belonging to 

In but few instances, however, did the excesses U^rth ."nl'T^ T^^' "^'^ ^^cretly in Leaven- 
of the "posse of the United StatPrmnrct v- o ' ^ ^''™^'^ '^^'^^^ was known publicly as 
lead the Free State men of ^1 TeSr> to cmi iS'tT''''^^' V^''''''' ' ^^'''-''' ^'^-^ an^ 
ifii similar excesses in retaliation. At saw^ " Zm'Z^t "^"^r^' '" understand. The citizens 
omie, five Pro-Slavery men were ktlloil ^^^ i *^'''°"" °" ^'^^ opposite side of the river had 
what circumstances hL never been f^ ascer"' IfTerTT' ' 'Tf'"^ ^"«"-- - ^^^^^ P-t 
tamed Enough has been learned, however o °2ct^n7'°^^^^ 

show that the deed was not justifiab e and 'e! f,!. t n ''^ f "^bers, had never made any demon- 
cusable only on the ground tha i™i,^ tf at a i? . '" ''''°,^*^ '^'^°^^"- '^^ '^"^y ^id, 

had been committed on the other s ide A bv a/^v fn ^°"^« ^^^^ ^nd them overwhelmed 
Hickory Point, the scene of the murder of Dow ^I^X^J Z f "°' '^'^''°"" ^'^'^ '^"'''' opponents 
last fall, the Free State men drove ofJ several bee , h. r° '''?^ S"^'' ^^^^^^ever might have 
families of their political opponents destrmino 0,^1^ 9«m /'V,'^' ^^'* '^'''^ ^'"^^ "^^ "««n-daj 
none of their property, and n'o? endangering tS to thirty in n.,; '^ ' " '°'j ''■ T'^ ^^^^-^e 
lives in any way. ^ ^ "-T '" number, armed with United States 

The news of {hese transactions produced ereat nrrchir^ft^'''^''")'^!,^-^"^' ^'''^ ^° "^'^'^^"'^ «^der, 
excitement among the Pro-Slavery party in tlfe ,Ttf, ''""'' *^'' '^'"•^^^^ '^f Leavenworth 

Territory and in' the State of KurV tL L^SoiU h V'.^^^^^^^^^ 

commission of similar deeds by themselves had,, o^^^ Caiol.na, arresting peaceable unoffend- 
been considered matters of congratuSion and f T' ^'^T^ ''"^^ ^"'"« ^^^^' that they 

praise. But when the tables turned and L n,.^t. ■°"' '^ ^f ^"^ ^^^^^^ "^ ^''' ^'^'^■ 
hey became the victims instead of the agS^or, nect^d with tT" "'^f ''"' ?'' '''''' ''' '^' ^°^- 
language failed to express the denunciattonrand h^d hi ^fe murders at Ossawatomie, which 
condemnations they launched forth had been made the excuse for this unlawful pro- 

In Westport, Missouri, a company was raided \Z1.2^' \°^^f^ ^^^t^^o^ty^as claimed for their 
of Missourians in fact, hough ma^ daimed to on. ?'*,' n'''^''" questioned by Mr. Sherman, 
be residents of the Territory and tSnr™l^°°°'^ °^ ^^^^ Congressional Committee, in whose 
under the command of Henry C P.^to to S Kv'r''' '°"'' °/ ^'^ arrests were made, Major 
scene of difficulty, to apprehend the murdered I '°"i'"*t'^ ^''"^''^^ ^''^'^ ^^^^"'^g- ^ P^^^^ 

Pate himself has^ldmitte^d, in his Ist^n^nv t r .^%'"; "" ^"' ^^""'^' ^''"^''^ ^'' ^'^'^ contained a 
fore the Congressional Committee that he^hf; ^^ "?? Pe^/°"S he would make prisoners, if 

no legal authority of any khid to a'pnreh Jid e h'T, ■°"''^ ^' ^"""^l" , ^"°"- ^''^ P°'-^«°« ^^-^^^ 
persons whom he desired\ocaptureTadfbunded^S^^ ^''^' ^^^- ^'- Conway, who at 

bis authority solely upon some S b'al nerSon r"' . ' ^"''^ ^''^' ""^'^-ed in labor for 

given him by one c'laiLing to act as ie' u™ m^ h ir'^Sf ^T haS t ^'^t" r"^ °^^"^^'^' ""' 
shfll ^ J- "jai I uieir Clerks. Me had been to Lecompton, and 

had been assured by the United States marshal 
that there was no warrant of any kind against 
him y\ hen he asked his captors their authority 
tor thus arresting him, he was toId»that he must 
come with them; that they would answer none 
of his questions. Mr. Weibling, a mail carrier, 
was arrested because he stopped at the house 
and asked what they were doing. II. Miles 



shal 

In Leavenworth city, the excitement was very 
great. The Congressional Committee had been 
in session there for some two weeks. They had 
been subjected to many difficulties in the prose- 
cution of their labors; had been misrepresented 
and abused in the paper published there ; and one 
of their number had even been grossly insulted 



by a member of the Legislat ve Co n d o h' u ""'^f 7^f '^''^ ''''' <^°'"g- "■ ^^'^^^^ 
Territory. A notice had^een ILed to tL t!^! ! ^'?! ^''**, ^^''^ .^^'^l^''^^ '^^ Committee much 



Territory. A notice had been affixed to the door 

Heri f .T'"'^ '''°'"' ^'"^^-^ by "Captain 
Hemp, for the citizen;^ of Leavenworth," warning 
Messrs. Howard and Sherman to change their 
coui-se, or prepare to meet the consequences. 
?,r;.i?ri ;' Rol^-ison, who had been seized and 
rortibiy taken from a steamboat at Lexington Mis- 
souri, 1,1 the early part of the month of May, and 



assistance, by giving them information, and con- 
ducting examinations before them, Marcus J. Par- 
rott, and others, were arrested, and all confined 
in a warehouse used by the Pro-Slavery party as 
a depot for arms and ammunition. Steps were 
at once taken, by Jlessrs. Howard and Sherman, 
to sue out a writ of habeas corpus before Judge 
Lecompte, then at his residence near the city • 



13 



and they desisted only upon representations be- 
ing made to them, by ProSLavery men friendly 
to the parties arrested, that such a course would 
endanger their lives after their release. 

Some of these persons were released after a 
few hours detention ; others were kept for one or 
two days, but all told, on their release, that they 
must immediately leave the Territory. Judge 
Conway was waited on at his lodging after his 
release, and conducted to a steamboat then on 
its way down the river, and with his baggage put 
on board, and ordered not to return. Marcus J. 
Parrott, while under orders to leave the Territory 
by a given time, was brought before the Con- 
gressional Committee, and examined in behalf of 
the Pro-Slavery party of the Territory. The 
Committee were not aware that he had been 
ordered to leave, or 'they would have refused 
to examine him while under duress. They re- 
fused most peremptorily to suffer Mr. Moore to 
be examined before them, when he was i)rought 
into the room in custody of one of his jailors. The 
counsel for J. W. "Whitfield, Colonel John Scott, of 
St. Joseph's, Missouri, presented to the chairman 
of the Congressional Committee a paper contain- 
ing a list of some thirty-five or forty names of 
Free State men who had been })roscribed by the 
Committee of Vigilance, with the request that he 
TTOuld mark the names of those he would desire 
to examine as witnesses, stating afterwards that 
no one who waa to be a witness before the In- 
vestigating Committee would be ordered to leave 
nntil after he had given in his testimony. 

Free State men were daily notified to leave 
the Territory, not to return. Guards were placed 
ou all the roads leading into the interior of the 
Territory, to prevent any from going in that di- 
rection ; and though some succeederl in making 
their escape, they were pursued and fired upon 
whenever discovered. Threats were made, that 
the house where the Committee and its attaches 
were staying would be attacked, the Committee 
lynched, and the testimony they had taken de- 
stroyed. Threats were also made, that Dr. Rob- 
inson would be seized and hung ; and so menacing 
did they became, that Captain J. W. Martin, who 
was guarding the prisoner, deemed it necessary 
to call out the Kickapoo Rangers, whom he 
commanded. They obeyed the call of their cap- 
tain, and appeared in numbers sufficient to over- 
awe anj' attempt to execute those threats. This 
state of things continued in Leavenworth until 
8ome time during the first week in June, when 
Colonel Sumner ordered the committee of vigil- 
ance to revoke their orders of eximlsion, and to 
disperse; since which time, nothing of the kind 
has been attempted there. 

While the Committee were in session in the 
city of Leavenworth, some of the letters stolen 
from the trunk of Governor A. U. Reeder, at the 
sacking of [jawrence, were offered in evidence 
before the Congressional Committee. Thej'' were 
promptly ruled out by the majority of the Com- 
mittee. They were again oflered in evidence at 
Westport, Missouri, and again rejected. They 
have since been published in the newspapers, and 
also in the appendix to the minority report of the 
Inyestigatino; Committee. 



While these occurrences were taking place in 
Leavenworth, the other portions of the Territory 
were not exempt from execitement and turmoil. 
Small bands of armed men and of United States 
troops were marching from place to place, arrest- 
ing or seeking to arrest the prominent Free 
State men of the Territory. G. W. Brown, the 
editor of the Herald of Freedom, published at 
Lawrence, and Gaius Jenkins, were seized at or 
near Westport, and detained until the Territorial 
authorities sent for them, when they were taken 
with others to Lecompton, and placed under a 
guard of the United States troops. In one in- 
stance, on the 30th of May, Governor Shannon 
himself accompanied Colonel Titus and Colonel 
Preston, with thirty or forty United States troops, 
to the house of Mr. Hazeltine, near IJIoomiogton. 
There were no persons in the house exce;;t the 
wife of Mr. Hazeltine and their children, the old- 
est of whom was but five years of age. They 
proceeded to search the house, Governor Shan-^ 
non remaining outside, armed with a Sharpe's 
rifle. After Colonel Preston had searched the 
house, the Governor ordered Col. Titus to search 
it again, saying, " God damn him, he is there." 
Mrs. -H. asked the Governor what her husband 
had done. He replied, "God damn him, I will 
show him, if I get hold of him. I will tear his 
God damned black heart out of him ; and if you 
don't look out, you will share the same fate, God 
damn you." After remaining there about three 
quarters of an hour, during which time thej' con- 
tinued to curse and abuse the sick and helpless 
wife, tliey left, threatening vengeance on Mr. 
Hazeltine, should they succeed in finding him. 

Captain Pate and his party had proceeded on 
their way to Ossawatomie, by the 2d of June, 
as far as a place called Black Jack, where they 
were met by a party of Free State men of not 
more than their own number, and surrendered 
to them. Before the surrender took place, three 
of this party, among whom was Coleman, of Dow- 
murder notoriety, made their escape to West- 
port. A large company, composed of some of 
Colonel Buford's party, of Missourians, and others, 
were immediately mustered, and they left that 
day, accompanied by J. W. Whitfield, the sitting 
Delegate from Kansas Territory, for the purpose 
of assisting Captain Pate and his party. Before 
they reached him, however, he had been liber- 
ated by order of Colonel Sumner, who had hast- 
ened, with the troops under his command, to the 
scene of disturbance. Pate and his party, and 
Whitfield and his party, were ordered to re- 
turn to Missouri, which they did to some extent. 
Upon learning that Colonel Sumner with his 
troops had gone to another portion of the Terri- 
tory, bands of men from Missouri were imme- 
diately organized and marched into the Territory. 
Hundreds of armed men passed through West- 
port ; in one instance, some sixty of them march- 
ing into tlie Territory as Governor Shannon came 
out, to attend the Congressional Committee who 
had summoned him. He paid no attention what- 
ever to the movements of these armed bands, 
which he saw at AVestport, and also at Kansas 
city — at the latter place, a party coming across 
the ferry from Clay county, and procteding to 



14 



the Territory. They were armed with guns, pis- 
tols, and bowie-knives, were on horseback, and 
had waijons, tents, and provisions, with them. 
They were occasionally met by Colonel Sumner 
and his troops, and ordered back ; but as fast 
as they were driven out at one point, they imme- 
diately re-entered at another. 

A camp of armed men had been established just 
within the Territorial line, near Westport, known 
generally as Colonel Buford's camp. All wagons 
and persons passing that way were stopped and 
searcbed by them, and in one instance they put 
ropes about the necks of two Free State men 
going into the Territory, and strung them up to 
a tree, and lowered them again, until they prom- 
ised to leave the Territory. Mr. Upton, the ser- 
geant-at-arms of the Committee, was taken pris- 
oner by them, and threats of hanging him made. 
Some of the citizens of Westport, however, did 
not approve of this, and, at the request of Major 
Oliver, sent out one of their number to procure 
,Mr. Upton's release. He was released before he 
arrived, but he gave him a pass, addressed to 
" Pro-Slavery men," to protect him while going 
up into tlie Territory. Wagons of emigrants were 
stopped at mid-day in Westport, their contents 
thoroughly searched, and all arms and ammuni- 
tion taken away, before they were permitted to 
go into the Territory, if indeed they were not 
prevented from doing so. A companj- proceeded 
to Ossawatomie the second time, and searched 
and plundered the Free State houses there, steal- 
ing guns and horses where they could be found. 

A proclamation had been issued by Governor 
Shannon, commanding all persons assembled in 
military organizations, not connected with the 
militia of the Territory, to disperse, warning them 
that if thejr failed to do so, the United States 
troops would be used for that purpose. Many 
connected with these armed bands, from Missouri 
and elsewhere, affected to consider this procla- 
mation as applying only to the companies of 
Free State men which had been organized for 
self-defence ; others said they would apply to be 
received into and incorporated with the militia 
of the Territory; and if this was refused them, 
they would proceed to act on their own account. 
and would defy the Governor or Colonel Sumner 
and his force to drive them off. 

The prisoners in the camp at Lecompton had 
obtained a promise from Judge Lecornpte of a 
hearing early in June, and had engaged counsel 
to be in attenilance on the day appointed i'or that 
purpose, to mmage their cases for them. The 
day came and passed without the judge ap- 
pearing, and they were told that they must re- 
main iu confinement until the fall term, when 
they would be put on trial. Judge Conway had 
proceeded to Lecompton, to be pr.-^sent at the time 
appointed for hearing, but was ordered to leave 
town in fifteen minutes. He applied to the Govern- 
or for protection, but he either could not or would 
not grant it to him, and he was obliged to leave. 
While in Fvansas cit_y, on his return, he was again 
taken by the mob, and only released upon assur- 
ing them that he was merely waiting for a boat 
to arrive, to go down the river. 

On the 29t,li of May, warrants were issued by 



Judge Cato, of the second judicial district of the 
Territory, for the arrest of eight persons living at 
Ossawatomie, on the charge of treason against 
the United States. They were accordingly ar- 
rested, and after being kept about two weeks near 
where they were taken, guarded by United States 
troops, who had been ordered to keep them in 
irons most of the time, orders were received for 
the removal of the prisoners to Tecumseh. They 
were chained two by two, by taking a common 
trace chain, and using a padlock at each end, 
so fixed as to make a close clasp around the an- 
kle. They were then driven on foot the whole 
distance, at the rate of twenty-five miles a day. 
The heat of the sun, and the tortures they ex- 
perienced from their chains, so affected one of 
them that he became insane, and another was so 
reduced in strength that he was permitted to ride 
hy their drivers. They were taken before Edward 
Iloogland, a United States commissioner, at Te- 
cumseh, and there examined for committal, to an- 
swer the charge against them. The evidence ad- 
duced against one of the parties was so flimsy, 
that he was not only discharged, but his name 
ordered to be stricken out of all papers connected 
with the case. Of the others, all were discharged 
from custody but three, two of whom were mem- 
bers of the State Legislature, to meet at Topeka 
on the 4th of July. 

The State Legislature elected in January last, 
under the Topeka Constitution, had met on the 
4th of March, elected United States Senators, 
drawn up a memorial to Congress, praying ad- 
missiou into the Union as a State, performed 
other legislative acts, and then adjourned, to 
meet on the coming anniversary of American 
Independence. The Pro-Slavery authorities of 
the Territory and the President of the United 
States were determined to prevent their meeting. 
In pursuance to orders from the President, Colo- 
nel Sumner appeared at Topeka on the 4th of 
July, with two hundred dragoons and some can- 
non, which he planted so as to command the street 
leading to the Hall where the Legislature was 
exi)ected to assemble. He then proceeded to the 
Hall, and ordered them to disperse, telling them 
that, if necessary, he should use the whole force 
under his command to carry out his instructions. 
The Legislature accordingly dispersed. 

Everything havingbeen done to subdue the Free 
State citizens of the Territory, the people of Mis- 
souri proceeded to take measures to prevent the 
emigration into the Territory of persons from 
N'orthern and Eastern States. Companies of 
armed citizens of Missouri have been stationed 
and cannon planted at all the principal landings 
on the Missouri river. Every steamboat passing 
up the river is forcibly compelled to submit to be- 
ing searched ; and whenever Eastern emigrants 
are found on board, they are disarmed and robbed, 
and forced to return to the free States. In con- 
sequence of this, the tide of emigration has been 
turned to the route leading through Iowa, and Ne- 
'oraska. To meet that difficulty, the Pro-Slavery 
party are stationing armed bands at the principal 
roads leading from the north into the Territoiy, 
avowing their determination to drive back all Free 
State men who may seek to enter in that direc- 



15 



tion. Colonel Sumner, who was suspected of 
sympathy with the Free State party, and who has 
always shown himself determined to act justly 1 
and honorably towards all parties, has been su- 
perseded, and General Persifer F. Smith under- 
stood to favor the Pro-Slavery party, ordered to 
take command in his stead. _ 

Strin<rfellow, Atchison, and associutes have 
issued tuldresses to the people of the South call- 
ing: upon them to raise men and means, and sena 
them to Kansas, to secure the maldng_ it a slave 
State The citizens of Missouri are raising money 
and provisions, to aid in the support ot Southern 
■ emic^rants until after the coming election, (gen- 
eral Strinarfellow and others have issued a call 
to citizens^of Missouri, to go over into the Terri- 
tory, in order to have a legal right to vote at the 
election expected to come off this fall, under the 
bill of Senator Toombs, or some similar one lor 
dele<rates to a Convention to frame a State Con- 
stitution. Hundreds of citizens of Missouri have 
already gone, or are making preparations to go, 
into the Territory, avowing their sole object to 
be to establish the institution of Slavery there. 

The condition of Kansas at the present time, 
August, 185r,, may be summed up in ^^ tew words: 
The prominent Free State men arrested on tuvo- 
lous pretexts, and held in conbnemeiit under 
guard' f United St.tes troops ; the Free Sta e 
Portion of the population suffering under a tyr- 
TanyTud oppression they cannot resist, suppor ed 
as it is by the Territorial and Federal au horities ; 
Lndreds of them driven from their homes to 
seek shelter and protection in the Eastern and 



Northern States; Free State emigrants forcibly 
prevented from passing up that great national 
highway, the Missouri river, and, when seeking 
to enter in another direction, threatened with re- 
sistance by armed forces preparing to drive them 
back while none of these difficulties are en- 
countered by emigrants who favor the es- 
tablishment of Slavery in Kansas by any and 
every means, but, on the contrary, every facility is 
afforded them for entering the Territory, and 
means furnished them for their support alter 
they arrive. 

The President of the United States has given 
the aid of his sanction to these proceedings, and 
his removal of the Governor who has done all 
in his power to bring about the present statue ot 
thino-s has been made at so late a day as to show 
condusively that his conduct in that respect 
could not have furnished the reason for his re- 
moval Tlie Convention at Cincinnati has en- 
dorsed the course of the present Administration, 
and the candidates nominated by that body stand 
pledcred to consummate the work that has been 
already begun. .The party in Congress represented 
in that Convention, and in favor of the candidates 
there nominated, have labored successfully to de- 
feat all eflbrts that have been made to extend re- 
lief to the suffering people of Kansas. 

The American people are now called upon to 
pronounce their verdict upon the a,cts of those 
they have placed in power. Let them ponder 
well upon these things, and show by their vote 
in ^■o^ ember next what that verdict shall be. 



* WASHINGTON, D. 0. 

ySLL & ELANCHARD, PRINTERS. 

1856. 



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